Hamilton 3-3 Hearts: Tackle on Jamie Walker 'terrible' - Robbie Neilson

Hamilton's Ali Crawford (left) was booked after fouling Hearts' Jamie Walker

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson said that Jamie Walker was fortunate not to be badly injured after a challenge from Hamilton's Ali Crawford.

Neilson was furious at the tackle, which came late in the 3-3 draw at New Douglas Park, and went to see referee Steven MacLean after the game.

Crawford was booked for the incident, but Neilson believed it should have been dealt with more harshly.

"I thought it was a terrible tackle and there's no place for it," Neilson said.

"We're lucky Jamie wasn't seriously injured.

"The referee's not called it the way I thought it should be. I asked him his opinion on it and he said at the time he didn't think it was, but we've reviewed it on the video and it wasn't great.

"He's one of our key players and teams target him, we know that and he has to take the hits. When the hits go overboard, it's up to the referee to protect the players."

Neilson was relieved that his side managed to battle back from being 3-1 down in the second half to secure a point, thanks to Callum Paterson's goal with four minutes remaining.

The Hearts manager was frustrated with the way his side fell behind, though, having opened the scoring through Walker.

Hamilton struck back with a Crawford free-kick and a Rakish Bingham double after the interval.

Walker reduced the deficit with a penalty after Dan Seaborne was judged to have fouled Don Cowie.

"We showed great spirit to come back, but we shouldn't be coming places and scoring three goals and only coming away with a point," Neilson told BBC Scotland.

'No complaints on Hearts penalty'

Rakish Bingham (centre) celebrates after scoring his second goal of the match

Hamilton player-manager Martin Canning was frustrated that his side could not protect a two-goal lead, leaving them just one point above bottom side Dundee.

"It's the same old story, but we performed reasonably well," Canning said. "To go a goal down, they showed character to come back and then to go 3-1 up. I wouldn't expect us to lose points from there.

"That's what I've just said to the players, we can't keep saying we're performing well but not winning games, because there will come a point this season when we're not performing well. We need to pick up points when we're playing well."

Canning, though, had no complaints about the penalty awarded against Seaborne, even though the defender looked to have lost his footing.

"It looked like Dan Seaborne slipped, and when you slip in the box and bring somebody down you concede a penalty," he said.

"On first viewing I wouldn't have any complaints, he's slipped over and impeded Don Cowie and the referee decided its a penalty."